OSHA proposes $40,500 fine for St. Johns Shipping

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is proposing $40,500 in fines against St. Johns Shipping Co. in Fort Lauderdale for safety violations.

OSHA's main concern: four repeat violations — with a proposed fine of $24,000 — for exposing St. Johns Shipping employees to "fall hazards" and failing to provide workers with "fall protection" and personal floatation devices when working on top of shipping containers, a news release said.

Fall hazards may involve lack of guard rails or other aids to help protect workers from falling and from suffering injuries, an OSHA spokesman said

A relatively small company based at Port Everglades, St. Johns Shipping handled about 360,000 tons of cargo at the Broward seaport in the year ended Sept. 30, the seaport said.

Company officials could not be reached for comment.

The proposed fines come as OSHA steps up enforcement of worker health and safety conditions under the Obama administration, the spokesman said.

In South Florida, the agency is specifically concerned about improving education and training in the shipping industry after several deaths in recent years in Miami and other cities. OSHA is teaming up with the McFatter Technical Center to develop training programs for maritime companies, he said.

St. Johns Shipping has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, ask for an informal meeting with OSHA's area director or indicate that it plans to contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent review commission, the agency said.